Happy Birthday
by writeaboutweasley
Summary: Another one of my 'Ron goes dark' oneshots.


**Happy Birthday**

**Disclaimer: Of course I own nothing! Hmph…**

Chapter one:

The tree by the lake.

It wasn't just a tree by the lake. It was _the _tree by the lake. His tree by the lake.

"Damn it," Ron muttered, standing at the top of the hill and look down at the tree, "I hate him."

He could hear a loud rumble break the silence. Lightning flashed.

Ron ran a hand through his hair and then headed down the hill.

He and Harry had just gotten in a fight. Now just a verbal argument. A full blown actual fight.

Only because Ron was changing on them. On everyone. And he, himself, knew it.

He intended to. He started by just little changes, just physical, so they got used to it. Hair length (growing it longer) and letting Bill pierce his ear. Changing his wardrobe and bedroom. He took away the posters and the orange and black, changing the theme to navy blue and leaving the walls bare.

They noticed.

Then he went with other changes.

Becoming obsessed with knowing all about Death Eaters. He had gotten so fed up with Harry that he wanted to get Harry back.

And it was even Harry's birthday. 18th birthday. Voldemort was dead and the Death Eaters lived. Escaping the war.

Everyone was in the middle of celebrating when Ron and Harry began arguing.

_"Why are you so obsessed with Death Eaters?" Harry asked. _

_"Because," Ron replied, "Why do you care?"_

_"Because now that Voldemort is dead I have a lot more to care about, like my friends."_

_"Don't pull this shit, Harry. Trying to get to me like that isn't a card that's worth playing." _

_"But its true, and I sort of noticed you getting a bit…dark."_

_"Yeah, so? I've been around darkness all my life, you're probably just seeing things, as usual." Ron's voice had gotten cool and edgy._

_Harry gaped at him. _

_"What is your problem?" he demanded, a little loudly. _

_"Well that would be obvious," Ron snapped, "It's always been the same thing that past 7 years."_

_"Yeah, what's that?"_

_"You!"_

_Now the whole room was quiet. _

_"Me?" Harry asked in surprise, "I knew you got mad at me in 4th year but why would I be a problem before or after that? Just because your jealous?"_

_"Jealous!" Ron exclaimed, "Of course I would be jealous! You get everything! Money, girls, fame, and now even my family!"_

_"I haven't taken your family!"_

_"Of course you have! Ever since you stepped foot into my house you've taken my place!"_

_"I have not!"_

_But Ron wasn't standing for it. He punched Harry. And Harry, of course never backing down from a fight, just fought back. Within moments they were on the ground hitting eachother. _

_Harry came off worse. A black eye, cut lip, and a cut on his cheek. Ron just came off with a small cut on his lip. _

_The minute they were pulled off eachother, Ron stormed out of the house. _

Ron stared at the tree, then climbed it. Going to the highest, strongest branch. He sat on it, leaning against the trunk that the branch protruded from.

He thought.

He had decided that, right after Voldemort died, he would become one of the strongest Death Eaters, becoming their leader. But to do that he would have to first gain their trust and actually be able to turn his anger into power. His anger had always been his power, yes, but a stronger power. One that made him stronger, more powerful.

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 2 3 4 5

(One year later)

"Happy 19th birthday, Harry!" Hermione exclaimed, giving him a full kiss on the lips.

Only a few months ago they had started dating.

Harry, however, wasn't very happy about his birthday that night.

"What's wrong, Dear?" Mrs. Weasley asked, setting food on the table out in the garden.

"Well," Harry said, "A year ago…that's when Ron disappeared…or rather, ran away. Because of me."

It was true. That night Ron had left a message on the tree. A carving of the Dark Mark on the thick bark of the tree.

And after he said those words…a voice filled the air,

"_Morsmordre!" _

We all looked up as the Dark Mark hovered above our table.

A single wizard walked into our yard. A black cloak covered his body and the hood covered his head and half his face. But as he lowered the hood we all saw who it was.

"Ron!" absolutely everyone exclaimed.

Ginny seemed ecstatic for some reason.

"You're back?" she asked, "Are you back for real? Forever? What happened?"

Ron's gaze drifted over to Ginny. She fell silent. Everyone knew why.

Ron…had changed. His gaze sent chills down everyone's spines. His face was stony, yet anger somehow was carved into it.

Harry felt his scar burn. An angry feeling was felt inside his stomach.

"Harry," Ron said quietly, his voice had a natural snappish sound in it.

Harry's scar burned even more. He almost doubled over in pain.

"Aren't you going to stand and face me? Like a hero? Isn't that natural instinct by now?"

Harry stood, not wanting to, but a feeling inside his stomach made him stand.

"Very good," Ron continued, "It's your birthday isn't it? One year ago I disappeared, oh, not much a dent it made in this-" he looked around at the table and then turned back to Harry, "-happy family, did it though? No, I suppose not."

Harry fell to his knees. Now the pain in his scar was unbearable.

"Well, well, haven't fought much, have you? Makes you weak doesn't it? I suppose you've read about all those attacks on those poor wizarding families, haven't you? I haven't been doing my best work but now…now I'm a lot stronger. Now that I can feel your pain. Must be horrible. All those emotions swimming inside of you. Don't worry, I've felt it all. Every single bit of your pain I've already gone through. Those seven years…though, I highly doubt it's enough…."

"Don't!" a voice screeched.

Hermione stood. Ron had raised his wand and was pointing it at Harry, who was kneeling on the ground, staring down at his hands.

"What?" Ron asked, a smirk playing at his face, "You think I was going to hex him? No…no…that's cowardly. No…Harry, stand up…stand up and look at me."

Harry did, the pain dying slowly.

"Good…now…will you play this out or will I just have to kill you? Or must I explain?"

The whole Weasley family was standing now. Ron noticed this and turned on them. They faced him, every male Weasley pulled out his wand.

"Ah, now there's courage," Ron said approvingly, "Of course…I know you wouldn't. I see it on all your faces. None of you will hex me. Yes, its etched all over. Besides, I sense your fear. Now why would you be scared of me? Your son, your brother. I wouldn't dare kill any of you. Of course, that's only your thoughts. Here's some news, I am the new Death Eater leader. They obey me. Every one of them. I told them to attack those families. I told them to attack those orphanages. I told them I could lead them straight to you." Ron now turned to Harry and lowered his wand, "And I did." He finished.

Witches upon witches and wizards upon wizards filled the backyard.

"Of course," Ron said, "You'd want to know why I turned against you. I told you, I got angry. That's my explanation. I'm the new Dark Lord, Harry. You ready to fight?"

Harry was not ready to fight. He needed to know more. He needed to know more before either he or Ron died. The thing was, he was not ready…because Ron was ready. Ron wanted to fight Harry.

"Ron," Harry said, "How could you do this to us?"

"How could you do that to me?"

"Do what?"

"Take my place! How could you think that you could just barge right in and take my family?"

"He never took your place, Ron," Fred said, "Ever."

"No one remembered me anymore," Ron snapped, "No one cared if I was there or not."

"We always cared," Charlie replied.

"You only care now," Ron snapped, "Only now do you realize that you never did…but you're scared, aren't you?"

"Of course we're scared," Ginny said quietly, "Of course we're scared of you because you just don't' care who you murder now. You killed all those orphans."

"Forewarning," Ron explained slyly, "But you didn't know, did you? You didn't think it was me. You were too stupid. Even you, Hermione. I would've thought you'd know. Harry, an orphan. When I left all the orphanages were being attacked. Didn't you get it? But I guess not, Harry's not an orphan. You've practically adopted him, haven't you, Mother?"

He turned to his mother, whom was crying. This didn't seem to soften Ron one bit.

No one was saying anything. All the Death Eaters seemed to want to attack Harry. They were staring at him, smirking and almost fidgeting with anticipation.

But suddenly, Ron turned around quickly and shouted,

"_Crucio_!"

He was pointing his wand at Harry. Harry fell to the ground and screamed in pain. Hermione made to kneel beside Harry.

"Don't. You. Even," Ron snapped at her, pointing his wand at the frightened teen.

"What have I done?" Hermione asked.

"You are the stupidest person I ever met," Ron hissed, "Yeah, you may know wizarding History and spells…but you really are quite stupid when it comes down to reality. I tried to leave hints, Hermione…but you never knew, did you? You never realized. But you must have because you seemed pretty quick to go after Harry when I left."

"What are you talking about?" Hermione whispered.

"Oh? Maybe you never read the article about Viktor Krum being attacked? Did you cry your eyes out over the tragic _murder_?"

"He was caught in a fire!"

"But for a pure blood wizard he must have known the extinguishing charm, right? So why didn't he use it? Because he was too busy screaming in pain because of the Cruciartus curse! I murdered him, Hermione!"

Hermione stared at him in disbelief. Ron looked down at Harry, who was lying, and panting.

"Get up," Ron said in disgust.

Harry got slowly to his feet.

"Go ahead, Harry," Ron said, "Kill me. Go ahead, kill me. Open target. I won't do anything. They won't do anything."

As if on cue, all the Death Eaters dropped their wands. Ron even dropped his wand. He held his hands up for a few seconds, then hissed,

"Kill me. Unless you're too scared."

Harry raised his wand.

"_Avada Kedavra!" _he shouted.

The spell hit Ron, but he just stood there. Afterwards he laughed. A harsh cool laugh.

"Just what I thought," Ron said, bending down and picked up his wand, "You're scared. You don't want me to die. You think I haven't changed."

He stared at them, then looked at Harry and waved as he said,

"Happy Birthday."

Then he Disapparated,


End file.
